Cargo Description: 2820 barrels of flour (1000 barrels in cooperage and the balance in large sacks). One cow and her calf. Miscellaneous freight.

Length: 135.60

Beam: 25.90

Depth of Hold: 11.00

Hull Material: wood

Gross Tonnage: 435.75

Propulsion Type: steam screw

Number of Masts: 0

Vessel

Location

Body of Water: Lake Michigan

County: Milwaukee

Latitude: N 43° 03.992'

Longitude: W 087° 45.556'

Vessel

Builder

Registry Number: 23514

Builder: Ira Lafringer, Drake & Company

Year Built: 1868

Location Built: Cleveland, OH

Owners: Northern Transit Company of Ohio

Home Port: Chicago, IL

Service History

The wooden steam propeller St. Albans was built in 1868 at Cleveland, Ohio. The vessel was used to haul passengers and freight throughout much of the lower Great Lakes. She was full Welland Canal size. In 1880 she received repairs including some new frames and arches.
Last Document Surrendered Chicago 2/13/1882: "Vessel Loss"

Final Voyage

"The propeller St. Albans foundered about 15 miles northeast of Milwaukee on 1/30/1881. The vessel had left Milwaukee at 9 am, bound for Ludington MI with a cargo of flour and livestock. At that time she was found to be free of water, and since she was constantly encountering fields of ice as she made her way across the lake, the pumps were continually tried, and the vessel found to be dry. At approximately 10:45 am, however, the engineer reported that the vessel was rapidly making water and within 30 minutes the steamer's fires were put out, despite the crew's efforts to stop the leak. The leak was found to be a hole in the port bow about a foot long, probably caused by ice. The crew of 20 and the 6 passengers then abandoned the propeller, and successfully reached Milwaukee. That April fishermen reported tangling their nets in the St. Albans wreckage."

Today

The St. Albans lies in 165 feet of water about 15 miles north-northeast of Milwaukee's North Point. She is mostly intact.